Justice Minister Diana Whalen insists her department had no involvement in the quick appeal of the decision to acquit the defendant in the taxi sex assault case.
“I want to be very clear. I have no contact with the prosecution service about any of their decisions. They make those decisions independently,” says Whalen. “They do not ask for, nor would they welcome, any input. I see them as entirely independent.”
The prosecution service had thirty days to make up their minds whether or not to appeal the verdict and indicated they would appeal after only three business days.
Authorities have been under a great deal of public scrutiny over the verdict.
The announcement came hours before hundreds of people gathered in the Grand Parade in Halifax to demonstrate against the acquittal.
